The jury deliberated for about four hours before delivering the verdict to Judge Gregory Mallon Thursday night following a two-day trial this week.

Taylor was gunned down at about 2:30 p.m. as he sat in a car across the street from his residence on the 900 block of W. Eighth St., where investigators recovered 15 9mm shell casings and three bullet fragments. Another four bullets were recovered from his body.

Delaware County Medical Examiner Frederick Hellman said Taylor had been struck by nine of those rounds and ruled his death a homicide.

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Assistant District Attorney Geoff Paine played a taped interview in court that County Det. Dave Tyler and Chester Det. Patrick Mullen conducted with Edmonds on Jan. 31, 2013, in which the defendant claimed to have been in the area at the time and heard gunshots but did not see the shooting occur.

Edmonds, who did not testify, told the detectives that he had just turned the corner from Eighth Street onto Lincoln Street heading south when he heard about 20 gunshots, then a series of additional gunshots, as if someone was returning fire.

Edmonds claimed on the tape to have seen his aunt, Shannon Scouten, shortly afterward driving her Jeep Grand Cherokee at Seventh Street and got a ride from her to Fifth and Parker streets.

But Scouten said she only received a telephone call from Edmonds at around 1 p.m. that day, during which her nephew said he felt someone was after him because he heard gunshots.

Scouten said she worked as a school bus driver and was in her bus when Edmonds claimed to have seen her on the afternoon of Jan. 14. Her Jeep would have been parked in a lot at that time, she said.

Paine also played a phone call intercepted from the county prison in Concord between Edmonds and his girlfriend sometime in February 2013. Edmonds can be heard in that conversation telling the woman to tell two men with the street names “F” and “Apples” that “I need a check ASAP.”

Tyler said the names refer to two brothers who live in the William Penn projects, but he did not follow up with the lead because he knew from experience that they would not talk to him. Edmonds had said in his statement that he did not personally know Taylor, but that he knew there was a $15,000 bounty on his head.

Edmonds, represented by attorney Scott Galloway, also told detectives he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt with black on the torso and grey sleeves. Witnesses said the shooter was wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt with a black “bubble vest.”

Judge Mallon set sentencing for June 13 pending a presentence investigation and psychiatric evaluation.

About the Author

Alex Rose covers court proceedings for the Daily Times. He also writes a weekly science column. Reach the author at arose@delcotimes.com
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